life

By: Anna Schmeer

a cherry

a seemingly harmless
red, round fruit

you pop the whole thing
in your mouth

bite down on the
soft sweet juicy pulp

then suddenly
you reach the middle
expecting the soft flesh
you get a solid pit

you can’t eat the pit
or it will make you sick
you can’t wallow it
around in your mouth
all you can do is spit it out

and keep going